Taking time to focus on your health is important, but it can be difficult for police officers to find the time to maintain a healthy mind and body. What’s your best health tip? Start small and be consistent.
But we know that striving to be your best, both on and off the job, requires more. Below, we’ve compiled 24 health tips to look out for this year.
[To download a one-page sheet of the top tips in this article for your reference or sharing at your agency, click here to complete the “Access this Police1 Resource” box!]
family and home
1. Connect with your family. I spend long shifts away from my family. Instead of going to the gym to workout, go home and exercise with your family. Get creative with activities you do together, like completing a yoga challenge or playing a dance video game.
As a first responder, the unpredictable nature of your job shouldn’t spill over into your home life.Build strong family relationships by following these recommendations
2. Spend time in nature. On your next day off, join me on that hike You might want to work on it with a friend, neighbor, spouse, family member, or dog. Being outdoors not only improves your mood and mental health, but also reduces stress, anxiety, and depression.
3. practice meditation daily. When practiced regularly, it can improve stress-related symptoms, lower blood pressure, prevent heart disease, and improve sleep quality. Bonus points if you include your spouse or significant other in your meditation practice.
4.Start journaling. This could be as simple as writing down three things you’re grateful for each day. Be specific and write it down at night. Alternatively, you can start your day off right by journaling in the morning.
5. Connect with your spouse, children, and family. Perhaps this might look like a regularly scheduled date night where you don’t talk about work or kids. Or maybe grilling or cooking a favorite meal for a loved one will make the day less stressful. After all, there’s nothing like a summer barbecue with good friends and family.
communication
6. Talk about your day, stress, and emotions. Do not bottle. Talking to your partner, whether it’s a mental health professional, spouse, family member, friend, or co-worker, can help release tension in your body and mind. This is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it is a sign of strength in taking charge of one’s own health.
7. Listen to your friends. If you open up, others may do the same. If you have similar problems, you can help each other brainstorm ideas on how to deal with specific difficulties. This makes others feel more supported and less alone.
8. Check out your strong friends. There is one person in our life who seems to have it all and is ready to listen. But is their mental health being forgotten or ignored? Ask your closest friends, family, and colleagues how they’re doing and really listen to their answers. Don’t forget to check out the people who support you. Chances are they need you as much as you need them.
Watch the video below: Lexipol’s Rachel Zemlock, Ph.D., P.D., talks about the importance of being a good listener.
9. Ditch the text and make a phone call. It’s easier to send a text message than to call someone who’s doing well and have a tone that indicates you’re not okay. You might end your shift and go home to an empty house. it is quiet. You have a lot of time to think, analyze and carve out your day. Pick up the phone and talk to someone. There’s no need to talk for hours. We don’t even need to talk about work. By touching base, you can feel more connected to people outside of law enforcement.
10. Create and maintain healthy boundaries. Do you find it difficult to say “no” to things because you don’t want to disappoint people? I get it. But it’s important to understand that too much is just too much. Setting boundaries and communicating them to others can save you extra stress and allow you to spend your time however you want (especially outside of work hours). It’s okay to say no without feeling guilty.
[To download a one-page sheet of the top tips in this article for your reference or sharing at your agency, click here to complete the “Access this Police1 Resource” box!]
Interests/hobbies
11. Choose one day each month to reunite with family and friends. You will probably find yourself missing out on many important events, such as holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Some of these things may be unavoidable given your schedule, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss them completely. Did you miss last Friday’s family movie night? Check the schedule and choose a different movie night to make sure your next movie is there.
12. Pursue a hobby outside of law enforcement. Give your mind and body the rest it deserves. Examples include cooking, baking, hunting, fishing, bird watching, painting, knitting, singing, playing an instrument, and dancing. The options are endless.
Find your inner chef with these recipes written, edited, and taste-tested by fellow first responders.
13. I read a book. Reading just 6 minutes a day can improve your sleep quality and reduce stress. Reading can even relax your body enough to lower your heart rate and relieve muscle tension. Mental health professionals may also use books, known as bibliotherapy, to support people with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and complicated grief.
14. Dance like no one is watching. Dancing releases endorphins into your body, which reduces stress and makes you feel good. This is also a great social activity and helps express emotions.
15. Learn a new language. Not only will this help you as a police officer communicate better with people in the community, but it will literally make your brain stronger. Learning a new language increases white matter in the brain. As a result, people who speak more than one language have improved cognitive function, improving their ability to concentrate, multitask, manage conflicts, and recall events.
self treatment
16. Plan and book your vacation. We know you’re busy, but we also know you probably have a lot of vacation time saved up. Use it especially if you are feeling burnt out. Traveling can lead to stress relief, and you may experience a mood boost from a break from shift work.
A look into the life of a police officer who mastered the art of work-life balance through careful planning, automation, and strategic delegation.
17. Make a massage reservation. Massage can help relieve muscle tension, improve circulation in the body, reduce pain, and even improve the quality of your sleep.
18. Try acupuncture. This is especially beneficial for police officers, as many of them are under chronic stress. Acupuncture can help improve mood, emotional regulation, blood pressure, and heart rate.
19. Disconnect from social media. Stop scrolling through your destiny. It will only harm your mind and emotions. This can lead to decreased sleep, appetite, and motivation. You don’t have to completely disconnect, but consider turning on your smartphone’s “downtime” settings. When you turn on Downtime, only selected apps and calls are available. It will turn back on according to the schedule time you selected in your phone’s settings.
20. Take care of your body eat nutritious food. The food you consume has a direct impact on your mood and concentration. Focus your diet on nutritious foods rather than processed foods.
Watch the video below: Lexipol’s Rachel Zemlock, Ph.D., P.D., explains how shifting your focus to what you can control can reduce stress.
physical activity
21. Start your workout routine. You don’t have to train 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.I focus Work out smarter, not harder. Try doing two 15-minute workouts or three 10-minute workouts. It does not need to be done consecutively. It’s okay to split the day.
In hindsight, I can share that my physical training allowed me to retire physically, legally, and mentally undefeated after a challenging career.
22. Participate in Jiu-Jitsu. There is an obvious physical health component jiu jitsu training, but there’s also a mental health aspect to this kind of exercise. Don’t be surprised if you notice increased mental clarity and reduced stress levels while training on the mat.
23. Try yoga. Law enforcement officers tend to have tight lower back and lower back muscles. Apart from its flexibility benefits, yoga can also improve concentration and problem-solving skills, and aid in situational awareness at work.here it is 5 reasons Change the way you think about yoga and take it seriously.
24. Focus on functional fitness training. This includes exercises that simulate real-world tasks and scenarios you might face on the job, such as sprints, tackles, and maneuvering in tight spaces. An example might be a training exercise that combines sprinting to a designated point, performing a series of bodyweight exercises (such as push-ups or squats), and performing a mock arrest maneuver. This type of training improves the physical capabilities required for the job, increases agility, and reduces the risk of injury.
Download this guide to access resources and strategies to improve police officer mental health
This article was originally published and updated on March 29, 2023.
